2000-05 – Letters from Leonardo

Hello!

After finally getting over the winter flu, we’ve been busy this early Spring. A few weeks ago Krang showed up, much to our initial dismay and shock. Krang had been banished to a toxic waste dump planet in Dimension X, but of course one of his evil allies decided to rescue him. The more we learn about Krang the less we like him, which is why it was so bizarre when he approached us to form a partnership against Shredder!

Krang contacted us via our Turtle Communicators one night while I was on patrol with Raph. He proposed a deal and a meeting place for the next night. Raph and I discussed the possible angles that Krang might be taking as we returned to the sewers. We formulated a plan and gathered everyone around to discuss what we should do. Both Raph and I felt that this was a golden opportunity to get rid of Saki for all time… if we could trust Krang.

But of course, we didn’t trust Krang. How could we? The evil alien explained briefly that he wanted to get even with Shredder for ruining his life, and that he wanted us to help him as our participation would add to Saki’s humiliation. It sounded like typical Krang logic to us, but of course we were concerned about this being a trap. For all we knew, Shredder may have been trying to set us up by using computers to simulate a cyber-Krang while the real villain remained in exile.

Much to my surprise, Donatello and Master Splinter were dead set against any kind of dealings with Krang, be he bogus or not. They felt that it couldn’t possibly be anything other than a trick, and I half agreed with them. Raph and I felt that if we went into the scenario expecting it to be a trap we would be ready for it, but the others still refused to partner themselves with Krang under any circumstances. After a rather heated discussion, it was determined that Raph and I would persue the Krang angle while the others maintained operations on the new shelter. It was very strange to split up into seperate factions, particularly since one of the factions was Raph and I. We’re usually on the opposite side!

So the next evening Raph and I began our stake out of the meeting site. We arrived about 6 hours early to try to locate traps and spy any Foot trickery. We didn’t find anything, so we got ready to meet face to face with our one time nemesis. Krang was right on time. He appeared out of nowhere, as if he had teleported to the location. I had initial misgivings that Shredder was using a holograph to trick us, so Raph chucked a pebble at the image of Krang. It bounced right off his forehead and the tentacled fiend let out a cry of pain. It was Krang in the flesh!

Raph and I decided that he would deal with Krang while I waited in the shadows searching for signs of a trap. Raph darted up to Krang who jumped with fright. Krang was using an odd version of one of his walkers, the new one looking somewhat biogenic. It seems that he had found himself some new allies, so perhaps his willingness to work with us was symptomatic of a new attitude he may have adopted after years of exile. He did look humbled and hardened, and while he still reeked of evil, he had an air of control that he had lacked in previous years.

Krang was quick and to the point. He would lure Saki into a meeting on a nearby rooftop, we would show up and defeat his minions while Krang would immobilze Shredder with some sort of freeze ray. Krang demonstrated this ray on a nearby pigeon, and it worked alarmingly well. The bird frooze in mid flight and crashed to the ground. Typical Krang, destroying a life to make a point. Raph then asked why Krang needed our help, and the alien repsonded that he didn’t, he just wanted to see the shock on Saki’s face when he learned that we had allied with him. He then explained that his and Shredder’s relationship had always been a thorn in his side, and he had finally decided that we weren’t the problem, Saki was. With Saki out of the way, Krang would be able to execute his plans without hindrance.

Raph then asked what Krang planned to do with a frozen Shredder. Krang got out a small device and punched a code in (I managed to hear the sequence and commit it to memory, but as it turned out, that was an unneccessary precaution. Still, it’s always good to keep mentally sharp). Shortly thereafter a strange electric charge filled the air and a man-sized pod appeared, just as Krang had.

“It’s a prison pod, the kind used to exile me to the garbage world in Dimension X,” Krang explained, “Once it is occupied, it will set a course through time and space and deliver its occupant to the very world where I was held prisoner for so long. Saki will get a taste of the torture I endured due to his failures!”

Raph approved of Krang’s plan, and I began to formulate a strategy of our own that would enable us to get both Shredder AND Krang into the pod and banished. So we agreed to Krang’s terms and headed home to make preparations for the next night.

We talked briefly with Don and explained the freeze ray. He whipped up some personal static force field devices for us that would give us temporary protection from the ray whould we need it, and once again stated that we were foolish to trust Krang. I explained again that we didn’t trust Krang and that this was a golden opportunity, but Don wasn’t in the mood to listen, so we parted ways again.

Raph and I then devised a strategy to defeat Shredder’s minions. He would no doubt show up with a small army, so we decided to start take out small patrols as far away from the meeting place as possible. Raph would work the front side of the groups and I would cover the others. Raph knew where the Foot would be leaving from, so we waited and lay our ambush strategies. We separated as the Foot began to head to their rendezvous. Raph immediately began his assualt on the smaller clusters, but I waited before taking out too many of their number. I didn’t want them to get too suspicious early on. The New York Foot are better trained of late, but they are still no match for our skills. Many of them have only been practicing for a year or two. I waited until I saw Shredder and then went to work. Saki had left with an army of about 36 Foot, his two Elite guards by his side. By the time I began my strikes, I’m sure Raph had already taken out at least a dozen of the scouts. I let Saki and his core troops go, and then I systematically took out his rear guard. By the time Shredder made it to the rooftop, his forces had been cut to a mere dozen Foot.

Raph knew Foot procedure due to his time leading them, so he made sure to leave the proper signs of safe passage that Shredder would be expecting to find. Since I was taking out the rear guard, I didn’t have to worry so much about my actions being discovered.

Shredder felt fully confident that his full force was with him when he reached the roof. I caught up with Raph he looked as happy as I’ve seen him in ages. Raph loves fighting more than anyone I’ve ever met… it’s odd, but I was thankful for it that night.

When Krang appeared Shredder was unimpressed, and made it known. The two bickered for a time, each blaming the other for all the ills that had befallen them over the years. Saki was particularly cruel in his criticisms and mocked Krang openly. Whatever happened between them before Krang was banished must have been ugly. Krang could barely refrain from attacking Shredder physically, only the fact that Shredder would annihilate the laien kept him at bay.

Finally Krang gave the sign and we attacked. Taking out the 10 regular soldiers was easy and took little time, but the Elite are always a problem. Saki was stunned, especially by the fact that his once strong force was so quickly reduced. Krang merely laughed as Shredder demanded his help, and then the alien made the announcement that we were working with him. Raph pointed out to Saki that this was a trap and that he had already lost almost all of his troops. The Elite were still watching Krang, but as we downed the Soldiers, they were forced into action. Shredder made a lunge for Krang, and the clumsy alien didn’t manage to fire his ray before Saki reached him!

By that time Raph and I were very busy with the Elite, who were equal to our skills. Shredder fumbled with the ray, trying to activate it, as Krang used his communicator to call the pod. As the small vessel arrived, Krang cleverly called it his “escape pod” and popped open the door. Shredder, hatred in his eyes, lunged in front of the open pod to block Krang’s “escape” and pointed the freeze ray at him.

Raph managed to best his opponent before I could take mine out. I had received some heavy blows to the face and my shoulder was cut deeply by a katana, but my foe wasn’t fairing much better. Raph came to my aid just as Krang let out a howl and charged Saki. So much for the theory that Krang wouldn’t attack Shredder!

The Shredder was as shocked by the assault as I was, and once again he fumbled with the ray gun. I don’t think Saki thought that Krang would ever dare attack him physically, so he was caught totally unawares when the diminutive alien lunged for him. At the last moment Saki fired the ray gun and hit Krang’s vehicle. Apparently it was biomechanical, because the ray worked on Krang’s mechanical legs and frooze them solid. The walker came to a jarring halt, which sent Krang himself flyng towards the Shredder. Saki caught Krang full on the face and the force of the blow sent him reeling into the pod… Krang as well! Just as Krang had claimed, the pod immediately sealed its doors and teleported out of there. If he was being honest, the vehicle took both of them back to the garbage world that Krang had so recently escaped!

Although this seems like an appropriately happy ending, I’m sure this is but the beginning. Whoever rescued Krang the first time would no doubt be back to save him again… but perhaps this is the last that we’ll see of Saki. I doubt it though. Once we got home and relayed the story to everyone, Don expressed that we had probably been lead into a trap, but typical of Shredder and Krang, it had backfired on them. Perhaps he’s right… it’s hard to say with those two. One good thing is that we may not see either of them again for some time, which would be great!

Phew! So that’s the whole story wrapped up as tightly as I can make it! Since then the Foot have been in utter chaos, so Shredder is definitely missing for now. Raph has been going on extra offensive patrols to disrupt and disband the Foot as much as possible. He has no plans to try to organize them again… this time he wants them destroyed outright. I agree with his strategy, so we run as many patrols as we can of late. I don’t know if we’ll ever defeat (de-feet?) the Foot, but we’re trying extra hard these days. If nothing else, the Shredder will be back to ground zero if he returns, and that’s a good thing!

I hope things have been going well for you. Talk to you soon!

Be well!
Leonardo

Master Splinter

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